Thomas Lister, Halifax - An Unusual Moonphase Longcase Clock

A rather splendid mahogany longcase clock with unusual moonphase and strike. The eight day duration movement strikesthe hours on two bells simultaneously, giving a deep resonant sound, both bells mounted horizontally as is often thepractice with Lister clocks and has pull repeat. The movement itself sits on a removable seatboard and cheeks, again afeature seen on clocks of the area. The rear of both the dial and moon disc are signed in paint, Lister 3. The fourteen-inch break-arch dial is beautifully painted within the arch depicting a huntsman out in the fields with his dog,with the moon showing within a shaped slot in the top. There are depictions of the four-seasons within the four corners ofthe dial, each being a female figure painted in the Wedgewood style. The chapter ring has black Roman numerals andArabic five-minute markings whilst the dial centre has subsidiary seconds & date dials and is signed 'Thos Lister, Halifax',with decorative brass hands. The flame mahogany case has an arched trunk door with satinwood crossbanding, with further crossbanding to the rest ofthe case. There are three part cluster columns to the trunk with matching fluted columns to the hood all surmounted by aswan-neck pediment. The case stands on shaped bracket feet. An example of this style of dial, with the unusual moonphase to the top of the arch, is illustrated and described in BrianLoomes Clockmakers of Northern England, page 165.Height: 94 inches (240 cms)Please click on images to enlarge: Any additional images are shown below

Thomas Lister

Thomas Lister of Halifax, born in 1745 in Luddenden, Yorkshire, was the second clockmaker of this well-known family withthis name, his father also called Thomas, and the fourth to go into the profession, his grandfather William working until hisdeath in 1731 and his uncle also William, born in 1721, and working until circa 1785. Thomas Lister junior originally workedwith his father but went alone in Halifax from circa 1765 until his death in 1814. After the death of his father he decidedagainst making the humble thirty-hour oak-cased clock, as preferred by Thomas senior, and concentrated on the betterquality eight-day clocks in mahogany cases, elevating the quality of his output after the death of his only serious localcompetitor, Thomas Ogden, in 1769. It is known that he made a number of very complicated clocks including world-timeclocks and musical examples with one superb example, a musical clock with two Cary globes attached; one a celestial theother a terrestrial and which is housed in the Bankfield Hall Museum.

Price: £8,500.00

Ref: 1283

Additional Images

Thomas Lister, Halifax - An Unusual Moonphase Longcase Clock

A rather splendid mahogany longcase clock with unusual moonphase and strike. The eight day duration movement strikes the hours on two bells simultaneously, giving a deepresonant sound, both bells mounted horizontally as is often the practice with Lister clocks and has pull repeat. The movement itself sits on a removable seatboard and cheeks, again a feature seen on clocks of the area. The rear of both the dial and moon disc are signed inpaint, Lister 3. The fourteen-inch break-arch dial is beautifully painted within the arch depicting ahuntsman out in the fields with his dog, with the moon showing within a shaped slot in the top. There are depictions of the four-seasons within the four corners of the dial, each being a female figure painted in the Wedgewood style. The chapter ring has black Romannumerals and Arabic five-minute markings whilst the dial centre has subsidiary seconds & date dials and is signed 'Thos Lister, Halifax', with decorative brass hands. The flame mahogany case has an arched trunk door with satinwood crossbanding, withfurther crossbanding to the rest of the case. There are three part cluster columns to thetrunk with matching fluted columns to the hood all surmounted by a swan-neck pediment. The case stands on shaped bracket feet. An example of this style of dial, with the unusual moonphase to the top of the arch, isillustrated and described in Brian Loomes Clockmakers of Northern England, page 165.Height: 94 inches (240 cms)Please click on images to enlarge: Any additional images are shown below

Thomas Lister

Thomas Lister of Halifax, born in 1745 in Luddenden, Yorkshire, was the second clockmaker of this well-known family with this name, his father also called Thomas, and the fourth to go into the profession, his grandfather William working until his death in 1731 and his unclealso William, born in 1721, and working until circa 1785. Thomas Lister junior originallyworked with his father but went alone in Halifax from circa 1765 until his death in 1814.After the death of his father he decided against making the humble thirty-hour oak-cased clock, as preferred by Thomas senior, and concentrated on the better quality eight-dayclocks in mahogany cases, elevating the quality of his output after the death of his onlyserious local competitor, Thomas Ogden, in 1769. It is known that he made a number ofvery complicated clocks including world-time clocks and musical examples with one superb example, a musical clock with two Cary globes attached; one a celestial the other aterrestrial and which is housed in the Bankfield Hall Museum.